Changes Afoot In Boca Raton

LUIS F. PEREZ AND RHONDA J. MILLER ON THE BEAT

December 12, 2004|LUIS F. PEREZ AND RHONDA J. MILLER

Bouncing along ... Call it the City Hall shuffle.

George Brown was recently promoted to deputy city manager, where he will serve as a City Hall liaison for the police, fire rescue and development services departments. He'll continue to oversee the City Clerk's Office and human resources and coordinate the city's security and emergency readiness programs.

City Manager Leif Ahnell filled the assistant city manager spot Brown vacated with Michael Woika, the former utility services director. Woika will be the liaison for utility, recreation, municipal and financial services. He'll also oversee the information technology and coordinate the city's strategic planning, leadership initiatives, internal audits and capital projects.

To fill Woika's old job, Ahnell promoted Chris Helfrich, who was deputy utility services director. One of Helfrich's first responsibilities is to recruit someone to fill his old job. Woika is helping in the leadership transition at utility services as he assumes the responsibilities of his new job.

Ahnell also appointed Nicole Gasparri as assistant to the city manager, where she'll coordinate activities in leadership and strategic planning and work with the city's state and federal lobbyist among other responsibilities. Gasparri worked as a training administrator in the Information Technology Division and she'll report to Woika.

Inexpensive crossing ... Some Highland Beach residents have been asking for flashing lights at pedestrian crosswalks on busy State Road A1A for years. Residents cross regularly from homes and condos to beaches and beach clubs and many of them are retired senior citizens. So far, there has been no sign from the state Department of Transportation that the lights will be granted.

Seymour Strauss is known mostly for asking Town Commission for financial support for a local chamber orchestra, but weighed in on the crossing issue Tuesday.

Strauss waved two bright yellow paddles. The paddles cost about $2 each and are sometimes used in China, especially for schoolchildren, Strauss told commissioners.

"Hold up the paddle and cross the street," Strauss said. It's less expensive and easier than waiting for the state to install flashing lights, he said.

Luis F. Perez covers Boca Raton and can be reached at lfperez@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6641. Rhonda J. Miller covers Highland Beach, Ocean Ridge, Gulf Stream and Briny Breezes and can be reached at rjmiller@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6605